Initial probe points at hand of local goons

The killers of billionaire real estate tycoon Deepak Bhardwaj are local goons hired to execute a meticulously-planned conspiracy, said sources.

The plan was hatched hundreds of kilometres away at Uttarakhand where Bhardwaj's construction company is building an apartment complex, they said.

The sources said two specially-constituted teams were raiding locations across southwest and outer Delhi to nab the three contract killers who pulled their triggers on Bhardwaj. They said two more teams had been dispatched to hunt down the person who seemingly deputed them on the job from Haridwar.

"Bhardwaj was used to involving himself in the sale and purchase of disputed property across the country," a police officer said, citing initial investigations.

"One of these, an apartment complex named Deep Kunj - which is valued at R200 crore and is currently under construction in Haridwar - got him involved in litigation with a local builder. He had a heated argument with this builder two days ago," the officer said.

Since the incident was reported, police claimed to have investigated around 4,600 silver-grey Skoda Octavia Superb cars matching the description of the vehicle used by the assailant trio.

In the process, police realised that the car used in the episode was bearing a false number plate. The registration plate of the assailants' Skoda car actually belongs to a Maruti Omni van registered at east Delhi's Trilokpuri.

Meanwhile, sources claimed they had detained Bhardwaj's estranged wife, Ramesh, for questioning. The police were investigating a complaint made by one of his sons at the end of a heated argument at the same farmhouse around a fortnight ago.

"We have several leads which are being investigated. The first step is to nab the boys who did it and are probably residents of southwest or outer Delhi. Technical surveillance has been mounted to ascertain whether they were in the know of, or had the slightest involvement in, the case," the officer added.